Intermittent-alarm mechanism for clocks.



F. GUBING.

INTERMITTENT ALARM MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED 001215, 1913.

1,101,536, Patented June 30,1914.

st: Inventor.- by Z 21M duh/- UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK GUBING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO YANKEE WIZARD CLOCKCOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

INTERMITTENT-ALARM MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK GUBING, a citizenof the United States, and aresident of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings andState of New York, have made and invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Intermittent-Alarm Mechanism for Clocks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to repeating or intermittently operating alarmclocks in i which the alarm mechanism, when released by the time train,operates to sound an alarm made up of periods of noise separated byintervals of silence until the stopping switch or shut-off of the clockis operated to permanently arrest the operation of the alarm mechanism,or until the alarm mechanism runs down; and the object of my inventionis to provide an alarm clock in which the mechanism whereby theintermittent operation of the alarm is secured will be entirelydisconnected from the time train of the clock when the stopping switchis moved into position to permanently arrest the operation of the alarmmechanism; from which it follows that the repeat or intermittentmechanism is in operative relation with the time train of the clock onlywhen the alarm mechanism is set, and is entirely disconnected from thetime train while the stopping switch or shut-01f is in a position toshut off or arrest the operation of the alarm mechanism.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in theimproved intermittently operating alarm mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and hereinafter described and claimed, and in suchvariations and modifications thereof as will be obvious to those skilledin the art to which my invention relates.

In the drawing wherein the preferred embodiment of my invention isillustrated:

Figure 1 is a view showing the time and alarm trains of an alarm clockin which my invention is embodied; Fig. 2 is a View showing the frontsection of the frame of the trains removed and turned over to therebyshow mechanism located on the rear face of the front frame section, inFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View showing certainportions of my improved alarm mechanism, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentaryperspective View showing a detail of my device.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 15, 1913.

Patented June 30, 1914.

Serial No. 795,187.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 5 designates a backplate from which the mechanism of the clock is supported, and 6 thefront frame, it being understood that a rear frame is also employed andthat the time and alarm trains and other mechanism of the clock aresupported in proper position by said frames.

The time and alarm trains and the means for releasing the alarm train ata predetermined time are not illustrated in detail, and will not bedescribed at length, as those features form no part of my invention. Thereference numeral 7 however, designates an oscillating shaft which formsa part of the alarm train and is provided with an arm 8 adapted to beengaged by the upper end 9 of a switch 10 to thereby permanently arrestthe operation of the alarm mechanism of the clock. When this switchmember is in the position shown in full lines the alarm mechanism willbe shut off, and the clock will remain silent or inoperative, so far asthe alarm mechanism thereof is concerned, until the switch is moved outof engagement with the arm 8 and into the position shown in dottedlines, Fig. 2. The said switch is pivotally supported at 11 to the frontframe 6, and is provided with an arm 12 which extends to the outside ofthe case of the clock, so that the switch may be operated to shut off orrelease the alarm mechanism. The shaft 7 is oscillated from'a vergewheel 13 through an escapement 14 secured to said shaft, as is common inalarm mechanisms.

The reference numeral 15 designates an element which I refer to as arepeat member because of the fact that it controls the operation of thealarm mechanism to secure the alternate periods of noise and silencehereinbefore referred to, or to secure an intermittent operation of thealarm mechanism. This member is operated from the time train of theclock, and is shown as in the form of a ratchet-wheel having teeth 16upon its periphery.

My invention includes a stop member controlled by the repeat member 15and adapted to engage the free end of the arm 8 and intermittentlyinterrupt the operation of the alarm mechanism of the clock, an approvedarrangement of repeat mechanism being one in which the alarm is soundedfor about five seconds each half minute, although this is a matterobviously dependent upon the number of teeth upon the repeat member andthe speed at which it rotates, or upon other features of said member.The stop member is shown as comprising a lever 17 .pivotally supportedintermediate its ends at 18 to the front frame 6 and the lower end ofwhich is bent at right angles, as shown at 19, and is in engagement withand rides over the teeth 16 as the repeat member 15 rotates, the lowerend of said lever being held against said repeat member by a spring 24.The upper end of said lever is also bent at right angles as shown at 20,which end portion is moved into and out of the path of movement of theextremity of the arm 8 to thereby intermittently interrupt the operationof the alarm train, as will be understood.

It will be appreciated that in a'mechanism as thus far described thestop member or le- -ver 17 would be in contact with the wheel 15 at alltimes, and, as the said wheel is driven from the time train of theclock, the friction between the parts would constitute a constant forcetending to retard the time train. In my improved alarm mechanism,however, I provide means for moving the lower end of the said lever outof engagement with the repeat member or wheel 15 when the switch memberis operated to shut off the alarm mechanism of the clock, so that thetime train will be relieved of the load due to friction between thelever and wheel while the switch member is in a positionto shut off thealarm mechanism; which will usually be for the greater part of the timeas the alarm mechanism is usually released, and in condition to operatewhen released by the time train, for about eight hours only of businessdays.

The means shown for moving the lower end of the lever 17 away from thewheel 15 comprises an arm or projection 21 carried. by the switch member10 and so arranged that its free end will engage the lower end of thelever 17, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When the parts occupy thepositions. shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, the end of the arm 21 is outof contact with the lever 17 and the alarm mechanism is released and incondition to operate intermittently when the same is released by thetime train of the! clock. WVhen, however, the parts occupy the positionsshown in full lines the alarm mech- .anism is shut oif and kept silent,and, because of the engagement between the arm 21 and the lower end ofthe lever 17 the lever is kept away from the wheel 15 and the time trainrelieved ofthe drag or load due to the friction between the wheel andlever.

The reference numeral 22 designates a pivotally supported lever one endof which extends to the outside of the case of the clock, and the innerend of which is adapted to engage a projection 28 upon the lever 17,sothat the repeat mechanism may be permanently'cut out and the clockconverted into an ordinary alarm clock in which the alarm mechanism whenreleased will run until it is run down, or until stopped by the cut outor stopping switch of the clock.

Havingthus described and explained my invention, I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

In a repeating alarm clock, a time train; an alarm train includinganoscillating shaft having an arm; a rotating ratchet wheel driven fromsaid time train and adapted to control the operation of said alarmtrain; an oscillating lever pivotally supported intermediate its endsand the lower end of which is in engagement with said ratchet wheel, andthe upper end of which is provided with a projection movable into andout of the path of movement of the extremity of the arm aforesaid ofsaid shaft to thereby intermittently interrupt the operation of saidalarm train; a pivotally supported oscillating switch member the freeend of which is adapted to engage the arm aforesaid of said shaft andforce its free end toward the projection aforesaid at the u per end ofsaid lever to thereby permanent y arrest the operation of said alarmtrain; and an arm carried bysaid switch and adapted to engage the lowerend of said lever and move the same out of engagement with said ratchetwheel when said switch is moved into a position to arrestthe operationof said alarm train.

Signed at New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and.State of New York, this 11th day of Octo- Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner oi.Patents.

Washington, I). 0.

